To go back about the hurricane at Towersey I remembered earlier... it was 1986 not 1985 and it was called hurricane Charley.

I was 13 and it was the oddest experience I can remember at a festival. All the tents except a few had been blown down and all the marquees had been blown down too, it was eerily quiet. My dad took us over to Johnny's unit where he was with his son with a huge pot of chilli, it tasted so nice :D

After that I think I could put up with any weather at festivals and I have got soaked at most of em lol.

Good songs, tunes, company and beer make up a part of the greatness of folk whether at a club or festival.

I have had years at Sidmouth and Towersey where the festival only took place on one site and even though it was a nice and pleasant environment plus the feeling of exclusivity I am happy to see it the festivals expand. There is so much talent to be had and folk is a huge genre with enough material to go round.

I agree with you in everything you said Colin, there are an awful lot of people that would be happy to keep it exclusive but I know that they don't mind it growing either. Keeping up a tradition is what makes folk so great because you can't recreate the feelings of live music no matter how great the sound system... it's the atmosphere that makes it great. :)